What’s happening in men’s golf this week A PEEK S ONE of the four big WGC events, the Accenture Match Play Championship boasts some pretty interesting facts. Here’s four for you to chew on: GAME, SET MATCH PLAY SMALL WORLD Although a ‘World Championship Golf’ event, this Match Play tournament has only once been held outside of the USA . That was in 2001 when the prestigious Melbourne sandbelt’s Metropolitan [below] hosted it. COURTESY DAVID SCALETTI PHOTOGRAPHY LONGEST MATCH Two matches have tied for the longest in the tournament. In 2003 Mike Weir defeated Loren Roberts in the first round. It took 26 holes. Scott Verplank’s first-round win over Lee Westwood in 2006 matches that record. MOST WINS BY NATIONALITY In 13 stagings an American has won this event 6 times (with Tiger Woods winning 3 of those). Perhaps home ground advantage has something to do with it. Geoff Ogilvy’s won twice to give Australia that many, while England has had the recent form players with Luke Donald and Ian Poulter taking it out in the past two years. 9&8 BIGGEST MARGIN What would a records page be without Tiger Woods? Answer: An incomplete one. The former world No.1 thrashed Canada’s Stephen Ames in Round 1 of the 2006 event 9&8. That’s 9 holes ahead with just 8 left to play. Pity he didn’t get to see the rest of the course—it’s a beauty. THE